Summertime Business Class

Marlie Soderquist, staff writer

For those studying business administration, management, or entrepreneurship, taking a Business 100 class seems like old news, but the importance of communication and leadership skills, as well as teamwork, ethics, and computer knowledge, are crucial in any job field. Taking the online Business 100 class or a face-to-face session taught by adjuncts during the summer can beneficial to every Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) student.

“Of course, I am biased, but I think everyone should take at least a Business 100 class. After all, everyone is either going to work for a business (or organization of some sort) or start their own business. So, either way, you should know how a business operates so you can be a better employee. In fact, while there are many benefits from taking an Intro to Business course, I think the number one benefit to students who take my course, is that they end up being a better employee because of it. As a better employee that will achieve more job satisfaction and further their career much quicker and hopefully achieve their ultimate career goals in a reasonable amount of time,” said Assistant Professor of Business William Pratt who has been teaching business and management at PVCC since 2013.

The Intro to Business, or Bus. 100 class, gives a broad introduction to how businesses function in the United States. It also introduces finances, economic systems, business organization, management, and marketing.

Pratt discussed that PVCC’s Business Program is transferrable, and the only business class that is required is Business 100. Other business courses are recommended to be taken after transferring, and students are encouraged to finish their liberal arts classes before they transfer. PVCC’s Management Associates Degree Program, however, is non-transferrable and is currently being revised due to feedback from local businesses so, “we can fully align the skills we teach with our local job market,” said Pratt.

Students do not need to be a part of the Business or Management Program to take the Business 100 class offered in the Summer, and there are many more business classes offered in the Fall and Spring semesters.

Encouraging students who are debating on taking business classes, Pratt said, “Business is everywhere. Even if you plan to work for a non-profit, there are still resources to manage, budgets to follow and people who need good, strong leaders that can motivate them. We have all had bad managers and none of us want to be that bad manager ourselves. So, the best way is to understand a little bit about how a business operates and why managers are bad and what you can do to avoid those same mistakes. An Introduction to Business course is not difficult – it is a surprising amount of fun and it really helps to put everything you see and hear at your work or in the news into perspective. Plus, you will probably be smarter than your supervisor when you complete the course!”